Key-fastener



(No Model.) V

E. MCDONALD.

KEY FASTENER.

No. 310,452. V Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

Wfirwasoa. Lave/war V 5 W fig Wm mzmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EPHRAIM MCDONALD, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

KEY-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,452, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed July 7, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM MCDONALD, of Somerville, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Key-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in a key-fastening device composed of a stud or holder adapted to be secured to a door, and an arm pivoted to saidstud and provided with spring-jaws, which are adapted to engage with the handle of the key of the door-lock and prevent said key from turning, as I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved key-fastener in its operative position. Fig. 2represents a side elevation of the same.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a stud or holder, provided with a threaded shank, a, adapted to be screwed into a door, I).

To the outer end of the stud a is pivoted an arm, 0.

d 66 represent plates or jaws, pivoted at f to the swinging end of the arm 0. Said jaws are adapted to be inserted in the handle t of the key, and are provided with recesses cl d, which engage the jaws with the opposite sides of said handle, as shown in Fig. 1. A spring,

j, on the arm 0 presses the recessed edges of the jaws outwardly against the key-handle, and thus holds the jaws in engagement there with.

It will be seen that by the described engagement of the jaws with the key-handle the key is prevented from turning in the look, so that aburglar cannot unlock the door by the use of nippers. The stud a is attached to the door below the keyhole, so that the jaws can enter and engage with the key-handle only when the key is turned, so that its bit and handle are out of line with the key-hole. 0 is made in two parts, 2 3.

The arm The part 3 conabove described, the spring j performing both operations. The jaws d d are provided with projections (1 (1 whereby they may be moved to disengage them from the key.

It will be seen that the described device is simple and constitutes an effectual safeguard against unauthorized unlocking of the door.

The form of the jaws and the provision of means for pressing them outwardly enable them to hold keys of a great variety of sizes, the recessed edges of the jaws being capable of accommodating themselves to the size of the opening in the key-handle.

I claim l. The improved keyfastener composed of a stud or holder provided with means for attachment to a door, an arm pivoted to said stud, jaws d d, pivoted to said arm and formed to enter and engage with the handle of a key, and a spring whereby said jaws are pressed outwardly, as set forth.

2. The improved key fastener composed of a stud oraholder, a, adapted to be attached to the door, the arm 0, composed of the part 2, pivoted to the stud, and the part 3, adapted to slide in the part 2, the jaws d d, pivoted to the part 3, and the springj,whereby the part 3 is pressed upwardly and the jaws d d are pressed outwardly, asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, i n the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 5th day of July, 1884.

\ EPHRAIM MCDONALD.

\Vitnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. WHIT 

